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John Whicher #1
An American Outlaw
TOP 100 Kindle Crime
The scion of one of the West's great outlaws comes home from the war in Iraq—Gilman James, the last of three childhood friends to return.
His brothers-in-arms are mere shadows of their former selves—Gil, unmarked—determines to take care of them. But how far should a man go for the people he loves?
Stepping across the line between right and wrong, Gil finds himself stranded in the Texan desert—as a bank heist he's planned goes horribly wrong. Pursued into the badlands by US Marshal John Whicher, Gil crosses paths with Tennille Labrea; an outlander, with her own demons to fight. Shielding a secret too precious to share with anyone, she's ready to cross her own line in the sand.
What makes an outlaw? Marshal John Whicher, veteran of the First Gulf War thinks he knows. But can natural justice ever outrank the law? For three very different people a moment of reckoning is set in train: violent, defining; inescapable.
The scion of one of the West's great outlaws comes home from the war in Iraq—Gilman James, the last of three childhood friends to return.
His brothers-in-arms are mere shadows of their former selves—Gil, unmarked—determines to take care of them. But how far should a man go for the people he loves?
Stepping across the line between right and wrong, Gil finds himself stranded in the Texan desert—as a bank heist he's planned goes horribly wrong. Pursued into the badlands by US Marshal John Whicher, Gil crosses paths with Tennille Labrea; an outlander, with her own demons to fight. Shielding a secret too precious to share with anyone, she's ready to cross her own line in the sand.
What makes an outlaw? Marshal John Whicher, veteran of the First Gulf War thinks he knows. But can natural justice ever outrank the law? For three very different people a moment of reckoning is set in train: violent, defining; inescapable.
409 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2013
2406 people are currently reading
725 people want to read
About the author
John Stonehouse
25 books66 followersJohn Stonehouse writes the Amazon #1 bestselling Whicher Series.
His debut, An American Outlaw, gained wide acclaim among readers and reviewers alike - both it and the following books have gone on to become bestsellers at Amazon, Apple i-Books, Barnes & Noble and at Kobo.
A writer who's spent a lot of time traveling, both in the states and overseas, he’s interested in history, literature, music and poetry - and drawn to wide-open spaces; places few people go, inside or out.
For the latest news, updates and special offers sign up to the John Stonehouse mailing list at https:www//johnstonehousewriter.com
follow @JohnStonehouse2
https:www.//twitter.com/JohnStonehouse2
or find him at Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/johnstonehou...
His debut, An American Outlaw, gained wide acclaim among readers and reviewers alike - both it and the following books have gone on to become bestsellers at Amazon, Apple i-Books, Barnes & Noble and at Kobo.
A writer who's spent a lot of time traveling, both in the states and overseas, he’s interested in history, literature, music and poetry - and drawn to wide-open spaces; places few people go, inside or out.
For the latest news, updates and special offers sign up to the John Stonehouse mailing list at https:www//johnstonehousewriter.com
follow @JohnStonehouse2
https:www.//twitter.com/JohnStonehouse2
or find him at Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/johnstonehou...
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 122 reviews
August 21, 2024
Yes… I am a quitter. I have not quit reading a book since Walden Two decades ago. I labored through half of this book before I checked to see how others rated this read. I agree with the reader that described the prose to be similar to a handful of text messages. I am sure there are those that will think highly of this literary work but I am not one of them. If I have to work hard to enjoy a book it is not worth the effort.
December 5, 2014
'You took up a gun, your world could turn upside down in a heartbeat. A bank. A gas station. A patrol, the other side of the world. Or a robbery, the fields of Texas. You stepped off, the fall could be an inch, a mile—unending. Nobody to save you, nobody there.'
An American Outlaw is a stunningly stylish dose of southern American crime fiction and you know when you enjoy reading something so much you're practically buzzing when you sit down to write a review. Well that's how I'm feeling and all from looking at James Lee Burke on Amazon and clicking through customers also bought section. Certainly glad I took a punt on this.
What captured the atmosphere, the characters and a chase laden plot perfectly was John Stonehouse's style of writing and all this in a debut novel that's left me eagerly waiting for his next offering. You know I like my quotes so there's a couple scattered through the review.
The style of writing is reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men, it's short, sharp, sparse and not a wasted word in site. There's no beating around the bush and it takes a little while getting used to, it's not for everyone but you can say that for every book ever written. I'll give you an example of a direct prose that borders on cutting but at the same time a mite refreshing.
‘I faced a lot of things. But I couldn't look her in the eye, the girl I met in second grade. Freckles and the chestnut hair. If every bone in her body had gone, she couldn't have looked more broken. Crushed. She told me she could sit on that porch, not a soul could see her—not a soul could hear her ask the world why it took everything. The boy she loved from eight years old.’
To the story a group of ex-marines plan a robbery spree, on the day of the bank job Gilman Francis James, a descendant of the infamous Frank & Jesse James is left stranded as a power blow out robs him of petrol and the ability to phone his partners. Their plans plunge into catastrophe and pretty soon it's all down to improvisation and the unknown as they become wanted fugitives at large. Every man and his dog on their case.
On The hunt US deputy Marshal John Whicher, four main strategic points, four towns and 'thirty thousand square miles of desert and mountain and honest to god wilderness.'
And just what Gil didn't need when lying low, a hard headed young woman with plans of her own and a shotgun. Tennille needs cash, needs an out for her daughter, escape from a partner and Gil drops into her lap like a tainted gift from God.
Right is forever broken, compromised, wrong takes over until finally the boundaries between good and immorality fade into obscurity as everyone's reasons come to the fore.
Atmospheric I guess would be the perfect word to describe this, bleak and harsh conditions, the mountains, the trails, the rain and the desert almost taking on the role of a vengeful character, providing help then wrenching it away in a storm of indifference.
'Dust is everywhere, he screws his eyes tight against it. He holds his jacket across his mouth in the choking haze, sand scattering, the ground shifting. Like smoke beneath his boots.’
Apologies for the long review but I did like this and I think it shows. A read with plenty of depth, an ending that just felt right, one the reader could appreciate and even applaud if you’re of an excitable type. Three compelling characters that surprisingly you find, at some point you’re actually rooting for all of them.
Recommended
Also posted at http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...
An American Outlaw is a stunningly stylish dose of southern American crime fiction and you know when you enjoy reading something so much you're practically buzzing when you sit down to write a review. Well that's how I'm feeling and all from looking at James Lee Burke on Amazon and clicking through customers also bought section. Certainly glad I took a punt on this.
What captured the atmosphere, the characters and a chase laden plot perfectly was John Stonehouse's style of writing and all this in a debut novel that's left me eagerly waiting for his next offering. You know I like my quotes so there's a couple scattered through the review.
The style of writing is reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men, it's short, sharp, sparse and not a wasted word in site. There's no beating around the bush and it takes a little while getting used to, it's not for everyone but you can say that for every book ever written. I'll give you an example of a direct prose that borders on cutting but at the same time a mite refreshing.
‘I faced a lot of things. But I couldn't look her in the eye, the girl I met in second grade. Freckles and the chestnut hair. If every bone in her body had gone, she couldn't have looked more broken. Crushed. She told me she could sit on that porch, not a soul could see her—not a soul could hear her ask the world why it took everything. The boy she loved from eight years old.’
To the story a group of ex-marines plan a robbery spree, on the day of the bank job Gilman Francis James, a descendant of the infamous Frank & Jesse James is left stranded as a power blow out robs him of petrol and the ability to phone his partners. Their plans plunge into catastrophe and pretty soon it's all down to improvisation and the unknown as they become wanted fugitives at large. Every man and his dog on their case.
On The hunt US deputy Marshal John Whicher, four main strategic points, four towns and 'thirty thousand square miles of desert and mountain and honest to god wilderness.'
And just what Gil didn't need when lying low, a hard headed young woman with plans of her own and a shotgun. Tennille needs cash, needs an out for her daughter, escape from a partner and Gil drops into her lap like a tainted gift from God.
Right is forever broken, compromised, wrong takes over until finally the boundaries between good and immorality fade into obscurity as everyone's reasons come to the fore.
Atmospheric I guess would be the perfect word to describe this, bleak and harsh conditions, the mountains, the trails, the rain and the desert almost taking on the role of a vengeful character, providing help then wrenching it away in a storm of indifference.
'Dust is everywhere, he screws his eyes tight against it. He holds his jacket across his mouth in the choking haze, sand scattering, the ground shifting. Like smoke beneath his boots.’
Apologies for the long review but I did like this and I think it shows. A read with plenty of depth, an ending that just felt right, one the reader could appreciate and even applaud if you’re of an excitable type. Three compelling characters that surprisingly you find, at some point you’re actually rooting for all of them.
Recommended
Also posted at http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...
November 24, 2025
Ex-marines, scarred by combat. Now a new mission to complete. Robbery. Money to be made, the purpose oblique. East Texas. Dusty trails. A seasoned lawman on the chase.
Short sentences. Staccato. Conversations are cursory. Facts are hard to glean, dripped out slowly. Physical characteristics skimmed over. Players not fully drawn.
Need to adapt to the rhythm. Read it quickly. That's better, getting into the flow...
It's a case of less would have been more. Chase too protracted. Facts too slow to materialise.
Did I care enough to plough on. Just about.
It's different. Atmospheric. Not everyone's cup of tea. Not mine really.
Short sentences. Staccato. Conversations are cursory. Facts are hard to glean, dripped out slowly. Physical characteristics skimmed over. Players not fully drawn.
Need to adapt to the rhythm. Read it quickly. That's better, getting into the flow...
It's a case of less would have been more. Chase too protracted. Facts too slow to materialise.
Did I care enough to plough on. Just about.
It's different. Atmospheric. Not everyone's cup of tea. Not mine really.
February 28, 2024
This is a well written, rather sad, tale. Good people doing the wrong things for the right reasons. Mutual respect between law enforcement and the “bad guys”. Things are definitely not always black and white. This kept me on the edge of my seat wondering how they could possibly escape. I wasn’t sure who to root for and what I even wanted the outcome to be. In my mind, that is a great author.
April 18, 2014
Always keen to highlight debut authors, John Stonehouse has proved to be a real find with his first book, An American Outlaw. This is a blistering slice of modern Americana that is hugely reminiscent in the spare, sparse style of authors like Cormac McCarthy, Ace Atkins and Denis Johnson, and hooks the reader throughout with its depiction of a fast-moving and tension filled manhunt across Texas.
The action focuses on Gilman James (a distant relation of outlaw Jesse James) and his two cohorts, having successfully completed one heist, and on the verge of a second in the far southwest of Texas. However, due to an unfortunate power outage, and the gung-ho actions of the other members of his team, their second job leads to death and injury and sees Gil and his injured friend on the receiving end of a desperate manhunt in the company of Tennille Labrea, a woman harbouring a secret and with an agenda all of her own. Stonehouse splits the action effectively between the trio’s flight from justice, and the actions of those who pursue them, headed by John Whicher from the US Marshals Office- a dogged and uncompromising ex-soldier who always aims gets his man.
With the ex-military background of James, his cohorts, and the marvellous and dogged Whicher, Stonehouse plays heavily on the themes of friendship, loyalty and the bonds and experiences illicited by the involvement in military conflict, and this is a real strength of the book. There is an interesting play on the way that the moral duty afforded to those who serve their country can be quickly unravelled in their return to society, as evinced by James and his friends’ actions. Stonehouse reveals a step at a time the connection between the main male characters through their military service across both Gulf Wars, highlighting key events across their tours of duty, and how these incidents have shaped and defined their connections to one another. The characters of Whicher and James, in particular, are incredibly well- defined, and lead to a shifting of loyalties in the reader’s conscience along the way, as neither man is wholly good or bad, making them both vital to the central plot and the holding of the reader’s interest. The pace is relentless and tense, and supported by this excellent characterisation, truly keeps those pages turning. Although I was initially less sure about the introduction of the female charater, Tennille, a young Hispanic woman joining up with the fugitives, my fears were quickly assuaged, as her story was integrated well into the main plot, thus undoing my feeling of her being a token female character to make up the numbers.
The atmosphere and location of the action is brilliantly rendered, with clipped and precise descriptions of the dusty environs of the Texas landscape and its haunting but desolate beauty. You can almost hear the twanging strains of a lone guitar, as the fugitives track across this endless wasteland of run down gas stations, diners and the miles and miles of deserted and hostile Texan terrain. It is incredibly visual, and also ramps up the tension tenfold, as the fugitives’ desperation increases in the sights of their dogged pursuer. Aided by the authentic and spare dialogue which captures the linguistic rhythms of Gilman’s southern roots and the Texan drawl of others, and the superb characterisation of the central characters, I would thoroughly recommend this. A good read.
The action focuses on Gilman James (a distant relation of outlaw Jesse James) and his two cohorts, having successfully completed one heist, and on the verge of a second in the far southwest of Texas. However, due to an unfortunate power outage, and the gung-ho actions of the other members of his team, their second job leads to death and injury and sees Gil and his injured friend on the receiving end of a desperate manhunt in the company of Tennille Labrea, a woman harbouring a secret and with an agenda all of her own. Stonehouse splits the action effectively between the trio’s flight from justice, and the actions of those who pursue them, headed by John Whicher from the US Marshals Office- a dogged and uncompromising ex-soldier who always aims gets his man.
With the ex-military background of James, his cohorts, and the marvellous and dogged Whicher, Stonehouse plays heavily on the themes of friendship, loyalty and the bonds and experiences illicited by the involvement in military conflict, and this is a real strength of the book. There is an interesting play on the way that the moral duty afforded to those who serve their country can be quickly unravelled in their return to society, as evinced by James and his friends’ actions. Stonehouse reveals a step at a time the connection between the main male characters through their military service across both Gulf Wars, highlighting key events across their tours of duty, and how these incidents have shaped and defined their connections to one another. The characters of Whicher and James, in particular, are incredibly well- defined, and lead to a shifting of loyalties in the reader’s conscience along the way, as neither man is wholly good or bad, making them both vital to the central plot and the holding of the reader’s interest. The pace is relentless and tense, and supported by this excellent characterisation, truly keeps those pages turning. Although I was initially less sure about the introduction of the female charater, Tennille, a young Hispanic woman joining up with the fugitives, my fears were quickly assuaged, as her story was integrated well into the main plot, thus undoing my feeling of her being a token female character to make up the numbers.
The atmosphere and location of the action is brilliantly rendered, with clipped and precise descriptions of the dusty environs of the Texas landscape and its haunting but desolate beauty. You can almost hear the twanging strains of a lone guitar, as the fugitives track across this endless wasteland of run down gas stations, diners and the miles and miles of deserted and hostile Texan terrain. It is incredibly visual, and also ramps up the tension tenfold, as the fugitives’ desperation increases in the sights of their dogged pursuer. Aided by the authentic and spare dialogue which captures the linguistic rhythms of Gilman’s southern roots and the Texan drawl of others, and the superb characterisation of the central characters, I would thoroughly recommend this. A good read.
April 18, 2014
An American Outlaw is the brilliantly accomplished, adrenaline fuelled and emotionally charged debut thriller by author John Stonehouse.
Gil James is a Gulf war veteran. He returns home remarkably unscathed himself but for his childhood buddies Michael, Nate and Steven, Traumatic Brain Injury, a disastrous last mission and a return home to families suffering from lack of support and financial ruin have all taken their toll.
Hang on to your seat as this “Cat and Mouse” game plays out before you. A bank robbery goes wrong and a dramatic and exciting chase begins, across a wild, desolate Texas landscape with uninhabited tracks and few people to busy diners, a cattle auction and lots more.
Add a determined US marshal, John Whicher, a beautiful young Mexican woman, Tennille Labrea, a great mix of narrative and dialogue, plenty of action , a clever and unexpected ending and you have this highly recommended, 5 star action crime thriller .
A great novel and very much look forward to the next.
Happy reading everyone!!
Gil James is a Gulf war veteran. He returns home remarkably unscathed himself but for his childhood buddies Michael, Nate and Steven, Traumatic Brain Injury, a disastrous last mission and a return home to families suffering from lack of support and financial ruin have all taken their toll.
Hang on to your seat as this “Cat and Mouse” game plays out before you. A bank robbery goes wrong and a dramatic and exciting chase begins, across a wild, desolate Texas landscape with uninhabited tracks and few people to busy diners, a cattle auction and lots more.
Add a determined US marshal, John Whicher, a beautiful young Mexican woman, Tennille Labrea, a great mix of narrative and dialogue, plenty of action , a clever and unexpected ending and you have this highly recommended, 5 star action crime thriller .
A great novel and very much look forward to the next.
Happy reading everyone!!
April 10, 2019
Good stuff.
Not cheerful.
Very very American.
Not cheerful.
Very very American.
August 6, 2021
A melodramatic bank robber story about a guy pursued by the cops even though he didn't even rob the bank!
January 4, 2014
Noir style?, first person, present tense, nonstop action, it takes a lot to pull all these elements together, but Author Stonehouse did it in magnificent fashion! Had the editing been a little more polished I would have given it a 5 star rating. I loved the story. The soft spoken main character that isn't only dangerous, but always thinking, with all his flaws. The hot Latino that grows on him and him on her, yet they never get sexual because the story is so much more than that. A gripping, emotional tale with a great ending! Stonehouse is an author worth following!
May 28, 2024
The first book in the John Whicher series. Whicher is a US Marshall in Texas, recently from the US Army, stationed in the Middle East. This story finds him a seasoned veteran of the Texas crime world. The second book is Whicher as a rookie Marshall.
This story is unusual as it's told in the voice of the criminal, in this case Army veterans returning home from the war in Afghanistan. Returning home has not been what they had hoped. Whicher barely appears in the story for the first 50 pages, Stonehouse leaves the stage open for the soldiers.
A very poignant story and a very effective telling. I was pleased with the ending. I've got to read another to confirm I'm going to invest the future hours it's going to take to read this series.
This story is unusual as it's told in the voice of the criminal, in this case Army veterans returning home from the war in Afghanistan. Returning home has not been what they had hoped. Whicher barely appears in the story for the first 50 pages, Stonehouse leaves the stage open for the soldiers.
A very poignant story and a very effective telling. I was pleased with the ending. I've got to read another to confirm I'm going to invest the future hours it's going to take to read this series.
January 21, 2014
**3-5 - 4 stars**
Thank you to the author for the review copy.
The scion of one of the West's great outlaws comes home from the war in Iraq—Gilman James, the last of three childhood friends to return.
His brothers-in-arms are mere shadows of their former selves—Gil, unmarked—determines to take care of them. But how far should a man go for the people he loves?
Admittedly at the start of this book I wasnt entirely convinced I would love it but the further into it I got the more it took a hold of me - and I'm not sure how useful this is to the next reader but it happily got me through the several bus journeys I had to take that day!
There is a plethora of action in this one and its written in a quirky, snappy style that I thought was terrific as soon as my brain absorbed it. There are some great characters here, Gil is a superb action "hero" with actual intelligence John offered a great juxtaposition and I liked that it had a strong female lead without the author feeling the need to over do sexual tension..if you want an action thriller thats exactly what you will get.
A bank robbery gone wrong, an exhilerating chase, set against the backdrop of some great scene setting, I spent a pleasurable few hours with this one. It is a bit rough and ready - but the story more than makes up for that so all in all a pretty good read.
Happy Reading Folks!
Thank you to the author for the review copy.
The scion of one of the West's great outlaws comes home from the war in Iraq—Gilman James, the last of three childhood friends to return.
His brothers-in-arms are mere shadows of their former selves—Gil, unmarked—determines to take care of them. But how far should a man go for the people he loves?
Admittedly at the start of this book I wasnt entirely convinced I would love it but the further into it I got the more it took a hold of me - and I'm not sure how useful this is to the next reader but it happily got me through the several bus journeys I had to take that day!
There is a plethora of action in this one and its written in a quirky, snappy style that I thought was terrific as soon as my brain absorbed it. There are some great characters here, Gil is a superb action "hero" with actual intelligence John offered a great juxtaposition and I liked that it had a strong female lead without the author feeling the need to over do sexual tension..if you want an action thriller thats exactly what you will get.
A bank robbery gone wrong, an exhilerating chase, set against the backdrop of some great scene setting, I spent a pleasurable few hours with this one. It is a bit rough and ready - but the story more than makes up for that so all in all a pretty good read.
Happy Reading Folks!
January 5, 2014
Gilman James, a distant relative of the famous outlaw, gets involved in a bank robbery gone bad(one dead, one wounded), a young kid jumping the gun, and is pursued by a U.S. Marshal. He'd simply wanted to help some old friends, and their family, who'd been left wounded by the war in the Middle East.
A young Mexican woman with her own problems, an ex-husband who wants their child and her(he doesn't believe in the ex- part) becomes part of the group as they try to escape.
Author John Stonehouse has produced a gripping tale of revenge as a man seeks to right the wrongs done to his friends.
A young Mexican woman with her own problems, an ex-husband who wants their child and her(he doesn't believe in the ex- part) becomes part of the group as they try to escape.
Author John Stonehouse has produced a gripping tale of revenge as a man seeks to right the wrongs done to his friends.
March 22, 2014
I believe this could be a good story. However, the way it is written will prevent me from ever finding it out. It was like trying to read a book written as short choppy text messages. I'm not sure a lot of those are even complete thoughts. The cadence pounded my skull and made me want to break my kindle. I've never wanted an audio book of anything before, until now.
June 29, 2015
The language is very much American red neck, à la McCarthy and I like that. The story has a good rhythm and the reader is definitely behind the bank robber as he tries to escape the US marshall across Texas; the cop is remarkably good by the way. What I did not like is that the motivations of the trio of exmarines are unexplained or to say the least very foggy
February 11, 2014
One of the best reads ever! Compelling, exciting, credible. Presented at times in a stacatto-like cadence that enhances the story-telling. This was a most enjoyable and entertaining book. I'm a bit stingy when it comes to ratings, so a solid 5 by me says a lot for this book.
March 15, 2014
What a great book! In some ways similar to a book by Cormac McCarthy - sparse prose, well-developed characters, a blurry line between good and bad, a compelling atmosphere, and a story that will stay with me.
April 24, 2014
Great book
"American Outlaw" was intriguing, though Gil was flawed he had a big heart making bad choices for good reason , likewise the U.S. Marshall, Wincher is a man of the law, sworn to protect, he makes choices from his heart and his head. Very well written John Stonehouse.
"American Outlaw" was intriguing, though Gil was flawed he had a big heart making bad choices for good reason , likewise the U.S. Marshall, Wincher is a man of the law, sworn to protect, he makes choices from his heart and his head. Very well written John Stonehouse.
June 11, 2014
This is one heck of a page turner.It deals with a subject all of us have at least heard about and that is PTSD.I have to say the way he get the characters working together is amazing.The first 200 pages follow a certain pattern then after that you better hold on!!
February 1, 2015
A wild ride in the transpecos desert
This is a post Iraq Butch and Sundance throw down. Some west Texas action for Sul Ross University fans. meditations on war and love and life. Over too soon, can't wait to see the movie.
This is a post Iraq Butch and Sundance throw down. Some west Texas action for Sul Ross University fans. meditations on war and love and life. Over too soon, can't wait to see the movie.
March 23, 2015
Overall I thought it was an enjoyable albeit not compelling book, some of the military 'back stories' needed more clarity as I felt unclear as to the relevance to the main plot on occasional... As a first novel it stacks up
April 15, 2014
Wow... This action thriller is a bit "Thelma & Louise", "Dog Day Afternoon" and "Blackhawk Down". A page-turner with twists, never predictable. Definitely a good read!
May 9, 2014
This was a great read and I would highly recommend it. Great characters, fantastic descriptions of the places. Really felt like I was there. Can't wait for his next book
August 2, 2014
Very well written, cannot wait for his next book.
September 12, 2019
A good story but ...
Mr. Stonehouse has a good story in An American Outlaw. A couple of anti-hero types, a tireless lawman from the 'old school' and a setting as stunning as it is intimidating in the deserts of West Texas should combine to make this an outstanding book. But there are problems in the execution of Mr. Stonehouse's vision. First and foremost is the inauthentic Marshall Whicher. Mr. Stonehouse has bought into the falsehood that Texans call each other "y'all" when addressing individuals. That is simply not the case. The word y'all is a contraction of "you all" and is properly used when addressing a group. As a native Texan having lived here for going on six decades I can decidedly say that I have NEVER heard a fellow Texan refer to an individual as "y'all." Marshall Whicher's constant misuse of the pronoun makes him sound like a rube trying to play Texan and getting it all wrong.
Which brings me to my second complaint. No self respecting Texas lawman would ever wear tooled leather boots. Again, calling on my experience as a native of West Texas, I have never seen anyone from Texas wearing tooled leather boots. If anyone did, he would be subject to merciless ridicule. Perhaps Mr. Stonehouse meant the elaborately stitched shafts of the Marshall's boots. But he got it wrong.
And finally Mr. Stonehouse has attempted to utilize the faddish construction of dual narratives and narrators. There is the first person narration of the outlaw and the third person narration of the Marshall's passages. The problem is that they sound the same.
I wanted to like this book. I really did. But there was just too much to not like
Mr. Stonehouse has a good story in An American Outlaw. A couple of anti-hero types, a tireless lawman from the 'old school' and a setting as stunning as it is intimidating in the deserts of West Texas should combine to make this an outstanding book. But there are problems in the execution of Mr. Stonehouse's vision. First and foremost is the inauthentic Marshall Whicher. Mr. Stonehouse has bought into the falsehood that Texans call each other "y'all" when addressing individuals. That is simply not the case. The word y'all is a contraction of "you all" and is properly used when addressing a group. As a native Texan having lived here for going on six decades I can decidedly say that I have NEVER heard a fellow Texan refer to an individual as "y'all." Marshall Whicher's constant misuse of the pronoun makes him sound like a rube trying to play Texan and getting it all wrong.
Which brings me to my second complaint. No self respecting Texas lawman would ever wear tooled leather boots. Again, calling on my experience as a native of West Texas, I have never seen anyone from Texas wearing tooled leather boots. If anyone did, he would be subject to merciless ridicule. Perhaps Mr. Stonehouse meant the elaborately stitched shafts of the Marshall's boots. But he got it wrong.
And finally Mr. Stonehouse has attempted to utilize the faddish construction of dual narratives and narrators. There is the first person narration of the outlaw and the third person narration of the Marshall's passages. The problem is that they sound the same.
I wanted to like this book. I really did. But there was just too much to not like
December 12, 2018
A very solid debut novel for John Stonehouse where the author taps into the genre of modern western.
Stonehouse's "tour-de-force" in An American Outlaw lies in his ability to immerse the reader in the scorched landscape of the Texas Badlands while finding his own voice AND maintaning the "rules" of western lit.
I've read a number of reviews that had difficulties with the short sentences and I must admit that it felt a little weird at first, but Stonehouse doesn't take long to create a pure, true-grit voice for his POV character, a long descendant of true American Outlaw Jesse James. Why use 5 words when 3 suffice? Why talk when silence says it all?
In this particular style exercice, Stonehouse creates the perfect western dynamics and makes sure to include the aspects of a novel loyal to the genre. Bank robberies, gun fights, lone lawman in a quest to end a manhunt in the Texan Desert, hostile encounters turning into alliance, people held at gunpoint, and all we need to enjoy a true gritty western.
On top of this, Stonehouse plays with the concept of loyalty and justice, where a case is made on whether the law is above or under certain things.
A style reminiscent of the work of CB Mackenzie.
Stonehouse's "tour-de-force" in An American Outlaw lies in his ability to immerse the reader in the scorched landscape of the Texas Badlands while finding his own voice AND maintaning the "rules" of western lit.
I've read a number of reviews that had difficulties with the short sentences and I must admit that it felt a little weird at first, but Stonehouse doesn't take long to create a pure, true-grit voice for his POV character, a long descendant of true American Outlaw Jesse James. Why use 5 words when 3 suffice? Why talk when silence says it all?
In this particular style exercice, Stonehouse creates the perfect western dynamics and makes sure to include the aspects of a novel loyal to the genre. Bank robberies, gun fights, lone lawman in a quest to end a manhunt in the Texan Desert, hostile encounters turning into alliance, people held at gunpoint, and all we need to enjoy a true gritty western.
On top of this, Stonehouse plays with the concept of loyalty and justice, where a case is made on whether the law is above or under certain things.
A style reminiscent of the work of CB Mackenzie.
October 24, 2018
Solid thriller. I picked this out at random to read since I'd not heard of author John Stonehouse before. The plot is the duel stories of an Marine vet on a series of high profile robberies, and Marshal John Whicher with his pursuit across Texas. Gil James naturally a distant relative of the famous Jesse James is a decorated Marine vet back from Iraq with revenge on his mind. Whicher who is a relentless tracker will need to unravel the circumstances of Gil James' robbery spree. This one clips along covering 400 very fast paced pages. There is a second book in the series that'll I'll have to download onto my kindle. Four stars out of a possible five stars: (4.25 stars to be exact), for "An American Outlaw", from John Stonehouse. Check it out.
July 1, 2020
It isn't often that the bad guy gets the 1st person narration in a story. Gil, along with his buddies Micheal and Nate were Marines. Mike and Nate were seriously injured. Back in the states, the VA isn't offering the support Gil thinks they should have Nate commits suicide, but his brother Stephen gets involved with the other two on a robbery spree scheme. John Wicher is a Deputy US Marshall and it is his job to track them down. During a bank robbery, Stephen gets killed and Mike gets seriously wounded. Gil was supposed to be there but had car trouble and ends up under the watchful eye, and shotgun, of Tennille. She has her own problems, but wants in on the action. Turns out Gil has a fairly noble reason for all this stealing, but that doesn't make it right.
August 28, 2020
I wasn’t sure I would like the way this book was laid out, but I ended up loving it. It’s an outlaw vs. marshal story, and it alternates chapters with the marshal and then the outlaw. The characters were well developed and I bonded with both of them, maybe the outlaw even more! I dreaded the ending because I didn’t want either one to die! I will definitely read more in this series.
For me, this was a 5 star book but I put it at 4 for one small criticism. Each new chapter was someone else’s voice (POV), and sometimes mid-chapter. The chapter headline should have stated it, but it took a couple of paragraphs to figure who was narrating. A few times I had to start the chapter again. Still loved the book!
For me, this was a 5 star book but I put it at 4 for one small criticism. Each new chapter was someone else’s voice (POV), and sometimes mid-chapter. The chapter headline should have stated it, but it took a couple of paragraphs to figure who was narrating. A few times I had to start the chapter again. Still loved the book!
January 6, 2023
I liked the premise of this story about the veteran of Desert Storm chasing disenfranchised veterans of the same war. Both groups are troubled by the senselessness of if, the ravages of it and those left behind. John Witcher as Deputy Marshal is renowned for his work at tracking the lawless, but he recognizes in these men the fact that the country did not appreciate their sacrifices. The only ones who did are the remaining band of brothers. At times, I felt like this was 5 stars. But the pace of the story was detrimental to my ability to finish it in a timely way.
Ultimately, it gave me pause. I found it was worth finishing. It made me think about sacrifice and service, empathy and understanding.
Ultimately, it gave me pause. I found it was worth finishing. It made me think about sacrifice and service, empathy and understanding.
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